II. We may hence infer, that no degree of speculative knowledge of things, of Religion, is any certain sign of saving grace. The Devil, before his fall, was among those bright and glorious Angels of Heaven, which are represented as morning stars, and flames of fire, that excel in strength and wisdom. And tho' he be now become sinful, yet his sin has not abolished the faculties of the angelic nature; as when man fell, he did not lose the faculties of the human nature. Sin destroys spiritual principles, but not the natural faculties. 'Tis true, sin, when in full dominion, entirely prevents the exercise of the natural faculties, in holy and spiritual understanding; and lays many impediments in the way of their proper exercise in other respects: It lays the natural faculty of reason, under great disadvantages, by the many and strong prejudices, which the mind is brought under the power of: And in fallen man, the faculties of the soul, are, doubtless, greatly impeded in their exercise, through that great weakness and disorder of the corporeal organ, which it is strictly united to; which is the consequence of sin. But there seems to be nothing in the nature of sin, or moral corruption, that has any tendency to destroy the natural capacity; or even to diminish it, properly speaking. If sin were of such a nature, as necessarily to have that tendency and effect; then it might be expected, that wicked men, in a future state, where they are given up entirely to the unrestrained exercise of their corruptions and lusts, and sin is, in all respects, brought to its greatest perfection in them, would have the capacity of their souls greatly diminished: Which we have no reason to suppose; but rather on the contrary; that their capacities are greatly enlarged, and that their actual knowledge is vastly increased; and that even with respect to the Divine Being, and the things of Religion, and the great concerns of the immortal souls of men; and that, with regard to these things, the eyes of wicked men are opened; and they, in some respects, emerge out of darkness into ⟨p. 12⟩clear light, when they go into another world.
II. We may hence infer, that no degree of speculative knowledge of things, of Religion, is any certain sign of saving grace. The Devil, before his fall, was among those bright and glorious Angels of Heaven, which are represented as morning stars, and flames of fire, that excel in strength and wisdom. And tho' he be now become sinful, yet his sin has not abolished the faculties of the angelick nature; as when man fell, he did not lose the faculties of the human nature. Sin destroys spiritual principles, but not the natural faculties. 'Tis true, sin, when in full dominion, entirely prevents the exercise of the natural faculties, in holy and spiritual understanding; and lays many impediments in the way of their proper exercise in other respects: It lays the natural faculty of reason, under great disadvantages, by the many and strong prejudices, which the mind is brought under the power of: And in fallen man, the faculties of the soul, are, doubtless, greatly impeded in their exercise, through that great weakness and disorder of the corporeal organ, which it is strictly united to; which is the consequence of sin. But there seems to be nothing in the nature of sin, or moral corruption, that has any tendency to destroy the natural capacity; or even to diminish it, properly speaking. If sin were of such a nature, as necessarily to have that tendency and effect; then it might be expected, that wicked men, in a future state, where they are given up entirely to the unrestrained exercise of their corruptions and lusts, and sin is, in all respects, brought to its greatest perfection in them, would have the capacity of their souls greatly diminished: Which we have no reason to suppose; but rather on the contrary; that their capacities are greatly enlarged, and that their actual knowledge is vastly increased; and that even with respect to the Divine Being, and the things of Religion, and the great concerns of the immortal souls of men; and that, with regard to these things, the eyes of wicked men are open'd; and they, in some respects, emerge out of darkness into ⟨p. 12⟩clear light, when they go into another world.
